Movable Floor Pool and Method of Cleaning Movable Floor Pool

ABSTRACT

A movable floor pool in which the space under a movable floor formed under the movable floor can be kept clean and a method of cleaning the movable floor pool is provided.  
     The movable floor pool ( 1 ) has a pool body ( 10 ) for containing water, a movable floor ( 21 ) which is vertically movable along a side wall ( 14 ) of the pool body ( 10 ), and a water flow generation means ( 30 ) for generating a rotational flow (R) in water contained in a space ( 23 ) formed under the movable floor ( 21 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a movable floor pool and a method ofcleaning the movable floor pool.

BACKGROUND ART

Movable floor pools as disclosed in, for example, patent document 1,have been known as a swimming pool whose water depth can be suitablychanged. As shown in FIG. 6, this movable floor pool has a movable floor120 which is vertically movable and placed inside a pool body 110, andthe height of the movable floor 120 is adjusted by an ascending anddescending apparatus 130 so that the water depth of the pool can bechanged.

When cleaning of the pool water is carried out in such a movable floorpool 100, the pool water is usually drawn from the bottom 111 of thepool body 110 and cleaned. However, there has been the problem thatdrawing the pool water stored above the movable floor 120 and cleaningthe water are difficult because of the obstruction of the movable floor120.

A water cleaning apparatus for movable floor pools as disclosed inpatent document 2 is known as an apparatus for overcoming such aproblem. This apparatus leads the pool water contained in the underfloorspace formed under the movable floor in a movable floor pool and thepool water above the movable floor independently into a sterilizingapparatus and a filtering device to clean the pool water by removingbacteria and viruses floating in the water.

[Patent document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-166727

[Patent document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-299964

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[Object to be Solved by the Invention]

However, when the pool water contained in the movable floor pool iscleaned by the water cleaning apparatus for movable floor pools asdisclosed in patent document 2, there is the problem that removingforeign objects, slimy matter and other contaminants deposited on theback side of the movable floor, the side wall of the pool body in thespace under the movable floor, the bottom of the pool body, etc., isdifficult.

There are many dead water areas where water is stagnant in the spaceunder the movable floor in the movable floor pool. Moreover, each timethe water depth of the pool is changed by moving the movable floor, muchof foreign objects (for example, hair, sand, fibers) accumulated on themovable floor get into the underfloor space formed under the movablefloor through the gap between the movable floor and the side wall of thepool body. Therefore, there have been the problems that deposition offoreign objects and slimy matter onto the back side of the movable floorand other portions is promoted, and bloodworm, mosquito larvae or thelike propagate.

To remove the foreign objects, slimy matter and the like deposited onthe back side of the movable floor, the side wall of the pool body inthe space under the movable floor and the bottom of the pool body, thepool water needs to be discharged from the movable floor pool and then aperson needs to go into the space under the movable floor and manuallyremove contaminants such as foreign objects and slimy matter depositedon portions such as the back side of the movable floor, which requiresgreat efforts.

The present invention was made to overcome such problems, and an objectof the present invention is to provide a movable floor pool and a methodof cleaning the movable floor pool in which the underfloor space formedunder the movable floor can be kept clean.

[Problems to be Solved By the Invention]

The object of the present invention mentioned above is achieved by amovable floor pool having a pool body for containing water and a movablefloor which is movable vertically along the side wall of the pool bodyand a water flow generation means for generating a rotational flow inthe water contained in the space formed under the movable floor.

In this movable floor pool, it is preferable that a water outlet isprovided at the bottom of-the pool body and the water outlet is disposedin such a manner that it approximately coincides with the rotationalcenter of the rotational flow formed by the water flow generation meansin plan view.

Moreover, the water flow generation means is a rotational water flowgeneration apparatus for generating a water flow by the rotation of aplurality of rotation blades. It is preferable that a plurality of therotational water flow generation apparatuses are preferably disposed inthe vicinity of the side walls of the pool body so that the water flowgenerated by the rotational water flow generation apparatuses flowsalong the side wall of the pool body.

Moreover, the above-mentioned object of the present invention isachieved by a method of cleaning a movable floor pool having a pool bodyfor containing water and a movable floor which is movable verticallyalong the side wall of the pool body, the method having a step ofgenerating a water flow for generating a rotational flow in the watercontained in the space formed under the movable floor.

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a movable floor pool in which theunderfloor space formed under the movable floor can be kept clean and amethod of cleaning the movable floor pool can be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural sectional view showing the movablefloor pool according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a structural outline plan view of the underfloor space formedunder the movable floor of the movable floor pool according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural view showing an example of the waterflow generation means constituting the movable floor pool according tothe present invention.

FIG. 4 is a structural outline plan view showing another variant of themovable floor pool according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a structural outline plan view showing another variant of themovable floor pool according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a known movable floor pool.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NUMERALS

1 Movable floor pool

10 Pool body

11 Bottom

12 Water outlet

14 Side wall

20 Movable floor apparatus

21 Movable floor

22 Ascending and descending apparatus

23 Space under the movable floor

24 Opening portion

25 Lid

27 Space above the movable floor

30 Water flow generation means

31 Rotation blade

32 Power supply cable

35 Case

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below withreference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic structural sectionalview showing the movable floor pool according to this embodiment, andFIG. 2 is a schematic structural plan view showing the underfloor spaceformed under the movable floor of the movable floor pool. It should benoted that the ascending and descending apparatus, which is shown inFIG. 1, is omitted in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the movable floor pool according to thisembodiment 1 has a pool body 10 for containing water, a movable floorapparatus 20 and a water flow generation means 30.

The pool body 10 is formed in the shape of a rectangle in plan view asshown in FIG. 2, and a water outlet 12 for discharging the watercontained in the pool body 10 is provided at its bottom 11. This wateroutlet 12 is provided approximately at the center of the bottom 11 ofthe pool body 10 in such a manner that it approximately coincides withthe rotational center in plan view of a rotational flow R formed by thewater flow generation means 30, as described later. Moreover, acirculation path for returning the water discharged from the wateroutlet 12 to the space above the movable floor 27 formed above themovable floor 21 is connected at the water outlet 12 (not shown). Thiscirculation path has a filtering device for removing foreign objects andother substances by filtering the water discharged from the water outlet12 and a chlorine injection device for injecting chlorine which killsbacteria and pest insects living in the water contained in the pool body10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the movable floor apparatus 20 has the movable floor21 and an ascending and descending apparatus 22 for vertically movingthe movable floor 21 along the side wall 14 of the pool body 10. Themovable floor 21 has an opening portion 24 for placing the water flowgeneration means 30 in the space 23 under the movable floor formed underthe movable floor 21 and a lid 25 which covers the opening portion 24and is freely openable and closable. The ascending and descendingapparatus 22 is placed in the space 23 under the movable floor, and itsupper part is connected to the back side 21 a of the movable floor 21.The height of the movable floor 21 can be adjusted and the water depthof the pool can be changed by the vertical movement of this ascendingand descending apparatus 22.

The water flow generation means 30 is a means for generating arotational flow by generating a water flow in the water contained in thespace 23 under the movable floor formed under the movable floor 21, andis placed in the space 23 under the movable floor. This embodiment, asshown in FIG. 2, is constituted in such a manner that a plurality ofwater flow generation means 30 are disposed in the vicinity of the sidewall 14 of the pool body 10 so that the water flow formed by the waterflow generation means 30 becomes the rotational flow R in a certaindirection along the side wall 14 of the pool body 10. Moreover, thewater flow generation means 30 is accommodated in a case 35 which isformed by combining a mesh plate, as shown in FIG. 3. Examples of thewater flow generation means 30 include rotational water flow generationapparatuses which generate a water flow by the rotation of a pluralityof rotation blades such as underwater mixers and underwater pumps. FIG.3 shows an underwater mixer as an example of the water flow generationmeans 30. The underwater mixer is constituted in such a manner that thewater can be transferred from left to right in FIG. 3 by rotatingrotation blades 31. The rotation blades 31 are rotated by the driving ofa motor (not shown) connected to a power supply cable 32.

The operation of the movable floor pool according to this embodiment 1will be described now. First, the water flow generation means 30 isdriven, and a water flow is generated in the water contained in thespace 23 under the movable floor formed under the movable floor 21. Thewater flow generated by the water flow generation means 30 forms therotational flow R flowing along the side wall 14 of the pool body 10 inthe space 23 under the movable floor. Since this rotational flow R isformed by combining water flows generated by a plurality of water flowgeneration means 30, the flow is maintained by almost constant momentumand becomes smooth.

The water outlet 12 for discharging water is provided at the bottom 11of the pool body 10 which approximately coincides with the rotationalcenter in plan view of the rotational flow R formed by the water flowgeneration means 30. Therefore, the rotational flow R forms a vortexwhich turns in a certain direction and at the same time flows toward thewater outlet 12.

Since the water flow generation means 30 generate the rotational flow Rcompulsorily in the water contained in the space 23 under the movablefloor, contaminants such as foreign objects and slimy matter depositedon the back side 21 a of the movable floor 21, the bottom 12 of the poolbody 10, the ascending and descending apparatus 22 and other portionscan be peeled off and removed by the momentum of this rotational flow R.The removed foreign objects, slimy matter and the like are carried bythe vortex mentioned above toward the water outlet 12, passes throughthe water outlet 12 and are filtered by the filtering device on thecirculation path (not shown) to be collected.

Moreover, foreign objects accumulated in the space 23 under the movablefloor and floating in the water are carried by the vortex mentionedabove toward the water outlet 12, and passes through the water outlet 12to be collected by the filtering device. Moreover, part of therotational flow R formed by the water flow generation means 30 flowsalong the side wall 14 of the pool body 10 in the space 23 under themovable floor to hit a corner 15 of the pool body 10. Therefore, foreignobjects remaining at the corner 15 which are difficult to remove can besurely carried along by the rotational flow R. The foreign objectscarried along by the rotational flow R are brought toward the wateroutlet 12 as mentioned above, and are collected by the filtering device(not shown) on the circulation path (not shown).

The water which has passed through the water outlet 12 and has becomefree of foreign objects due to filtration by the filtering device on thecirculation path (not shown) is led to the space above the movable floor27 along with chlorine injected from the chlorine injection device.Chlorine led into the space above the movable floor 27 passes throughthe gap between the movable floor 21 and the side wall 14 of the poolbody 10 and enters the space 23 under the movable floor. Chlorine whichhas entered the space 23 under the movable floor is dispersed throughoutthe space 23 under the movable floor by the water flow formed by thewater flow generation means 10. Therefore, bacteria and pest insectsliving in the space 23 under the movable floor can be efficientlykilled.

In such a manner, according to the movable floor pool 1 of thisembodiment, unlike in known ones, contaminants such as foreign objectsand slimy matter deposited on the back side 21 a of the movable floor21, the side wall 14 of the pool body 10 in the space 23 under themovable floor and the bottom 12 of the pool body 10 can be surelyremoved without manual removal of foreign objects and slimy matter by aperson going into the space 23 under the movable floor formed under themovable floor 21, and the space 23 under the movable floor formed underthe movable floor 21 can be kept clean. As a result, propagation of pestinsects such as bloodworms and mosquito larvae in the space 23 under themovable floor can be prevented.

Moreover, since the rotational flow R formed by the water flowgeneration means 30 hits the back side 21 a of the movable floor 21, theside wall 14 of the pool body 10 in the space 23 under the movablefloor, the bottom 12 of the pool body 10, the ascending and descendingapparatus 22 and other portions, deposition of slimy matter, foreignobjects, etc., on these portions can be effectively prevented, and thespace 23 under the movable floor can be kept clean.

Moreover, stagnation of the water contained in the space 23 under themovable floor can be prevented by generating a water flow of the watercontained in the space 23 under the movable floor by the water flowgeneration means 30, whereby propagation of pest insects such asbloodworms and mosquito larvae in the space 23 under the movable floorcan be prevented. Moreover, if the water flow generation means 30 isplaced in the space 23 under the movable floor immediately after thecompletion of the movable floor pool so that a water flow is generatedin the water contained in the space 23 under the movable floor,infestation of these pest insects can be prevented.

Moreover, chlorine which is led from the chlorine injection device onthe circulation path to the space above the movable floor 27 and passesthrough the gap between the movable floor 21 and the side wall 14 of thepool body 10 and enters the space 23 under the movable floor can bedispersed throughout the space 23 under the movable floor by the waterflow formed by the water flow generation means 30. Therefore, bacteriaand pest insects living in the space 23 under the movable floor can beefficiently killed.

Moreover, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the rotational flow Rflowing along the side wall 14 of the pool body 10 is formed and thewater outlet 12 is provided on the bottom 11 of the pool body 10 in sucha manner that it approximately coincide with the rotational center inplan view of this rotational flow R. Accordingly, a vortex flowingthroughout the space 23 under the movable floor can be formed. As aresult, foreign objects and slimy matter deposited on the back side 21 aof the movable floor 21, the bottom 11 of the pool body 10 and otherportions can be peeled off and removed in all areas of the space 23under the movable floor, and also contaminants such as the peeled andremoved foreign objects and slimy matter can be efficiently collected tobe discharged from the water outlet 12.

Moreover, employing a rotational water flow generation apparatus whichgenerates a water flow by the rotation of a plurality of rotation bladesas the water flow generation means 30 and disposing this rotationalwater flow generation apparatus in the vicinity of the side wall 14 ofthe pool body 10 in the space 23 under the movable floor so that therotational flow R is formed allows the water flow generation means 30 tobe readily installed also in existing movable floor pools, wherebyforeign objects and slimy matter deposited on the back side 21 a of themovable floor 21 and the bottom 11 of the pool body 10 can be removedand the space 23 under the movable floor can be kept clean.

Moreover, the water flow generation means 30 in this embodiment is arotational water flow generation apparatus which transfers water by therotation of a plurality of rotation blades 31. Hence, pest insects suchas mosquito larvae floating in the transferred water can be cut andkilled by the rotation of the rotation blades 31, efficiently killingpest insects. Although an embodiment of the present invention has beendescribed in the above, specific aspects of the present inventionspecific are not limited to the above embodiment. In this embodiment, asshown in FIG. 2, a plurality of water flow generation means 30 aredisposed in the space 23 under the movable floor. However, for example,a single water flow generation means 30 may be disposed as shown in FIG.4. Even in such a constitution, since the water flow sent out from thewater flow generation means 30 flows while it keeps colliding with theside wall 14 of the pool body 10 to form the rotational flow R, a vortexflowing toward the water outlet 12 can be formed. As a result, asmentioned above, foreign objects and slimy matter can be removed anddeposition of slimy matter on the back side 21 a of the movable floor 21and other portions can be prevented, whereby the space 23 under themovable floor can be kept clean.

Moreover, this embodiment is constituted in such a manner that a waterflow is generated by the water flow generation means 30 placed in thespace 23 under the movable floor, but it is not particularly limited tosuch a constitution. For example, a constitution in which a jet isdischarged from the side wall 14 of the pool body 10 under the movablefloor 21 into the space 23 under the movable floor to generate a waterflow can be also employed.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, this embodiment is constituted in such amanner that a single rotational flow R which turns along the side wall14 of the pool body 10 in the space 23 under the movable floor isformed, but it is not limited to such a constitution. For example, asshown in FIG. 5, water flows ejected from the water flow generationmeans 30 may be caused to collide with each other to form a plurality ofrotational flows R1, R2, R3 and R4. Even in such a constitution, foreignobjects, slimy matter and the like deposited on the back side 21 a ofthe movable floor 21 and the side wall 14 of the pool body 10 in thespace 23 under the movable floor can be peeled off and removed by theaction of each of the rotational flows R1, R2, R3 and R4, and theremoved foreign objects, slimy matter and the like can be dischargedfrom the water outlet 12. The space 23 under the movable floor can bethus kept clean.

Moreover, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the water outlet 12 isprovided on the bottom 11 of the pool body 10 in such a manner that itapproximately coincides with the rotational center in plan view of therotational flow R formed by the water flow generation means 30, but itis not limited to such a constitution For example, the water outlet 12may be provided at the bottom 11 of the pool body 10 remote from therotational center of the rotational flow R in plan view. Even in such aconstitution, the action of the rotational flow R formed by the waterflow generation means 30 allows peeling and removing foreign objects,slimy matter and the like deposited on the back side 21 a of the movablefloor 21 and the side wall 14 of the pool body 10 in the space 23 underthe movable floor, and discharging of the removed foreign objects, slimymatter and the like from the water outlet 12. The space 23 under themovable floor can be thus kept clean.

Moreover, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the pool body isformed in the shape of a rectangle in plan view. However, theconfiguration of the pool body is not limited to such a constitution.For example, the configurations such as a circle in plan view or anellipse in plan view may be employed.

1: A pool having a pool body for containing water and a floor disposedin such a manner of forming a space between itself and the bottom of thepool body, in which a water flow generation means for generating a waterflow in water contained in the space formed under the floor is provided.2: A pool according to claim 1, wherein a, the floor is a movable floorwhich is movable along a side wall of the pool body. 3: A floor poolaccording to claim 2, wherein a water outlet is provided at the bottomof the pool body and the water outlet is disposed approximately at therotational center in plan view of the rotational flow formed by thewater flow generation means. 4: A pool according to claim 3, wherein thewater flow generation means is a rotational water flow generationapparatus for generating a water flow by the rotation of a plurality ofrotation blades, and a plurality of the rotational water flow generationapparatuses are disposed in the vicinity of the side walls of the poolbody so that the water flow generated by the rotational water flowgeneration apparatuses flows along the side wall of the pool body. 5: Amethod of cleaning a pool having a pool body for containing water and afloor disposed in such a manner of forming a space between itself andthe bottom of the pool body, the method having a water flow generationstep for generating a water flow in water contained in a space formedunder the floor. 6: A floor pool according to claim 1, wherein wherein awater outlet is provided at the bottom of the pool body, and the wateroutlet is disposed approximately at the rotational center in plan viewof the rotational flow formed by the water flow generation means. 7: Apool according to claim 6, wherein the water flow generation means is arotational water flow generation apparatus for generating a water flowby the rotation of a plurality of rotation blade, and a plurality of therotational water flow generation apparatuses are disposed in thevicinity of the side walls of the pool body so that the water flowgenerated by the rotational water flow generation apparatuses flowsalong the side wall of the pool body. 8: A pool according to claim 1,wherein the water flow generation means is a rotational water flowgeneration apparatus for generating a water flow by the rotation of aplurality of rotation blade, and a plurality of the rotational waterflow generation apparatuses are disposed in the vicinity of the sidewalls of the pool body so that the water flow generated by therotational water flow generation apparatuses flows along the side wallof the pool body. 9: A pool according to claim 2, wherein the water flowgeneration means is a rotational water flow generation apparatus forgenerating a water flow by the rotation of a plurality of rotationblade, and a plurality of the rotational water flow generationapparatuses are disposed in the vicinity of the side walls of the poolbody so that the water flow generated by the rotational water flowgeneration apparatuses flows along the side wall of the pool body.